Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

In this issue of CUE (Computer-Using Educators), the main theme is Personal Learning Networks. "PLN: Face-to-Face to The Net", "PLN: New Ways to Interact and Broaden Our Horizons" or "Overcoming the Barriers to Effective Ongoing Staff Development Through Online Communities of Practice" are some of the articles compiled in this CUE issue. Authors explain that other members of the PLN are the most important aspect, how empowering it is to share ideas and resources with a worldwide network or the way experienced/tenure teachers are been helped by younger teachers to develop computer-based competences.

This is a volume of Advancing Student Achievement through Technology: On Cue. It has many articles that I plan to read through, but the one that really caught my eye is "Professional Learning Communities- Can Our Students Do This Too?" on page 10. While it is not so much an explanation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) I believe it is a great testament to what we are researching and trying to do through this course. The author was urged by her district to encourage PLCs in her 6th grade English classroom. With adults improving their education through the use of technology she feels her students should be doing it too. It gave many great quotes from the 6th grade students and I believe it is an encouraging article as we being to look at social media and the possible uses it can have within a classroom.

The Center for Teaching History with Technology, a resource created to help K-12 history and social studies teachers incorporate technology effectively into their courses. Find resources for history and social studies lesson plans, activities, projects, games, and quizzes that use technology. Explore inquiry-based lessons, activities, and projects. Learn about web technologies such as blogs, podcasts, wikis, social networks, Google Docs, eBooks, online maps, virtual field trips, screencasts, online posters, and more. Explore innovative ways of integrating these tools into the curriculum, watch instructional video tutorials, and learn how others are using technology in the classroom!

Technology is changing the way people can learn. With constant access to the internet, learning can take place all the time and everywhere. This is especially true with online learning. Connectivism is the theory that claims knowledge exists in the world, not in just an individual. This theory is what drives good online learning practices. The four major concepts that describe effective online teaching using connectivism are establish the feeling of the online classroom, create a social presence within the class, use activities and technology to make meaningful learning experiences and also to teach and guide your students through the learning process. These four concepts are best used within a social and learning community like Facebook or Blackboard that helps to connect the learners and the teacher. 

I thought this was an interesting because the way the classroom is constantly changing there is the opportunity to learn anywhere. A perfect example is this course! I have taken classes with people from all over the world through BSU due to the advancements in technology. The fact that the connectivism theory embraces the knowledge of the world, goes hand in hand with the effectiveness of online education. Social networking is another way that those connections can be made.

In this video discussion on open social learning, connectivism theorist, George Siemens discusses transparency and openness in connected learning. He emphasizes the importance of the actual connections that learners are permitted to make over the networks themselves. He asks a thought-provoking question, "Do we have the most diverse opportunities at the at the hands of our students to connect with individuals, ideas, and thinkers that they're interested in?" He points out that transparency makes our learning visual to others, and because of this, new opportunities and experiences are made possible through connections.

I love the question he asks. We might as well embrace the tools that we have to improve the amount of opportunities there are for students and teachers. I love that these networks allow us to show that our process is working. When I've learned something, especially in these MET courses, I love that everyone else can see it and perhaps weigh in with their opinions.

This study investigated the applications of social media, specifically Twitter, as a tool to enhance the higher education learning process. Participants (Business and Management undergrads) were asked to use Twitter for instructor and peer communication throughout a 12-week course. An evaluation survey determined Twitter was an effective way to engage students. Twitter usage was not, however, associated with interpersonal relations between a student and his/her instructor or peers. Nor was there was a correlation found between Twitter usage and class attendance.

I was most interested in this website in section 5.4.9, where the author details the strengths and weaknesses of MOOCs, specifically the weaknesses. MOOCs have high registration numbers, but only a small number actually finish the course. They are expensive to produce and they are used mostly by those with higher education levels. Higher levels of learning are difficult to assess and so "credit" becomes difficult or impossible to grant. Copyright issues can also be a problem.

I found myself spending most of my time reading the strengths and weakness of MOOCs located at the end of the article. I found several articles that listed only the strengths, or only the weaknesses. I appreciated this article because it examined both.

This article supports the argument that connectivism, which is often used as a guiding pedagogy for MOOCs, does not meet the criteria of a true learning theory. As such, connectivism should be abandoned as a pedagogical tool for Web 2.0 environments and replaced with a valid learning theory, specifically the Vygotskian cultural psychology. MOOC future pedagogy would, thus, consist of two initial principles: 1) the visualization of objects and 2) sustained dialogue and joint activity.

Hi Jennifer, I came across a similar article as well. What I do like about the idea of connectivism is that we are trying to reimagine learning processes and education and trying to make sense of it within the digital world. But it will be interesting to watch how this debate progresses over the next few years.

This study observed and surveyed undergraduate students in a teacher certification program use Twitter to form personal learning networks. Researchers were interested in how students perceived Twitter before and after group discussion. Additionally, researchers wanted to know if Twitter was an effective medium for group discussion. Although some students had frustrations with Twitter's structure, most had a positive experience in using it for networking.

I like this article because it shows how social media is rapidly transforming all aspects of our professional lives. At first when I started reading it, I wondered what are the benefits of Twitter over the chat function in many Learning Management Systems. But then I realized students are more likely connected to Twitter with several devices. The chat session would stay around longer than the course page in the LMS. Additionally, the PLN created by the synchronous chat session exists outside of the classroom walls and can continue long after the class is over. The article was correct to cite that one of the drawbacks is the lack of critical thought that goes into Twitter feeds. The low number of characters allowed limits the ability to express thoughts clearly. However, if it is used to organize PLNs it becomes an effective tool as the participants in the study all attested.

The study supported the belief that Twitter chats provide a place where learners can be exposed to widely differing perspectives, not limited by geographical or socioeconomic constraints: "Twitter chats . . . to communicate to other professionals you may not even know but you will absolutely learn from them and what they have to say." I enjoyed the anecdote of the student who found himself in the same chat room as his school principal father!

The authors state the the use of blogs as aggregators for student Personal Learning Networks (PLN) is an effective tool to help organize the many fascists of unique environments. They point out that in order for students to successfully create and use their own PLNs there must first be a successful example by an instructor for the students to model. They point out that although students may be using several of the tools that will ultimately comprise their PLNs, it is a fallacy to assume that students inherently understand the power and connectedness of these environments.

This article explores connectivism as a learning theory, then discusses how to use personal learning networks in your communities of practice. The author quotes from many experts in communities of practice and connectivism. Much detail was given to blogging.

Although this article is focused specifically on public affairs education, it is relevant to all learners. The author discusses professional learning networks as methods to connect and build communities of practice. Using personal experiences teaching a college course, the author's creation of communities of practice took learning for students to the next level.

This article is part biography of George Siemens (one of the founders of the connectivist movement), part history of the connectivism movement and formation of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course). The article is relevant to our EdTech 543 discussion because it gives an in depth look into the beginning of the connectivism in the classroom, as well as why Siemens is a proponent of the movement.